The Pomeranian. 421 



they stand high when kept in good order ; the white ones should be 

 occasionally washed, roughly dried only if the weather is fine, and turned 

 into a heap of straw or into a good grass field. The coat should be 

 kept from getting matted by the use of brush and comb, but if the 

 combing is overdone, they are robbed of the under growth, which gives 

 density to the coat, which then assumes a limp and frizzy appearance. 

 They should not be allowed to lie by the fire ; they are sufficiently well 

 protected from cold by nature, and indulgence by the fire causes the hair 

 to come off, which is a great nuisance, as well as detracting from their 

 appearance ; and although I cannot explain it, I have known several 

 instances where the nose of a Pomeranian, perfectly black, has become 

 brown or flesh coloured from no other apparent cause. 



Although one of the numerous breeds we have introduced from abroad 

 and naturalised, the Pomeranian has been known here for at least a 

 century, as the following description, I think, clearly proves. He 

 appears, however, to have been rather bigger than we now like him, and 

 the then prevailing colour is now discountenanced, if not altogether lost. 

 A writer in the " Sportsman's Cabinet," 1802, thus describes him : " The 

 dog so called in this country is but little more than 18in. or 20in. in 

 height, and is distinguished by his long, thick, and rather upright coat, 

 forming a most tremendous ruff about the neck, but short and smooth on 

 the head and ears. They are mostly of a pale yellow or cream colour, 

 and lighter on the lower parts. Some are white, some few black, and 

 others, but very rarely, spotted ; the head broad towards the neck, and 

 narrowing to the muzzle ; ears short, pointed, and erect ; nose and eyes 

 mostly black ; the tail large and bushy, and invariably curled in a ring 

 upon the back. Instances of smooth or short coated ones are very rarely 

 seen. In England he is much more familiarly known by the name of fox 

 dog, and this may originally have proceeded from his having much affinity 

 to that animal about the head ; but by those who in their writings 

 describe him as a native of Pomerania, he passes under the appellation 

 of the Pomeranian dog." 



I cannot refrain from giving the same writer's description of the 

 character of the Pomeranian, although, as applied to those of the present 

 day, it is decidedly too sweeping in its condemnation. He says the 

 Pomeranian is " by nature frivolous, artful, noisy, quarrelsome, cowardly, 

 petulant, deceitful, snappish and dangerous to children, without one 



